


The Cold, It Seeps

by Lulaypp



Series: Whumptober 2020 [12]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Hypothermia, Jason needs a blanket, Minor Angst, Near Drowning, Some teeny bit of fluff-ish bonding in the middle, Whump, Whumptober, concussion, he wants sleep but Dick won't let him, maybe a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27021742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lulaypp/pseuds/Lulaypp
Summary: One cold winter found Nightwing saving a drowning Red Hood.And right now Jason just really wants a warm blanket and sleep. Just a small nap.
Series: Whumptober 2020 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949758
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	The Cold, It Seeps

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober Day 21 - Hypothermia
> 
> All knowledge I have on both, Hypothermia and Concussion are based of other fics I have read and the minimal googling I did. I might have gotten things wrong.

Falling. Sinking. 

The surface got further as Jason fell deeper, his stupid cracked helmet leaking in winter chilled water. His freezing fingers tried to pick the cuff around his ankle, tying him to the heavy, sinking cinderblock, dragging him down underwater. 

By the time, his cold, numb fingers managed to pick the lock and the cuff fell away, he's already at the bottom of the sea. Ignoring the flaring pain in his right knee, he kicked upwards towards the surface. 

But his concussed mind is pulling him down and his lungs struggled for air. His vision got as murky as the water and he tried to put more strength into his movements. 

His knee suddenly gave a crack causing him to involuntarily gasp in pain. Panic gripped his heart as he felt polluted Gotham water entering his lungs. 

\- 

Jason coughed and gasped as his eyes shot open. He turned to his side as water flowed out of his mouth like a running faucet, his lungs burned. He shivered as the freezing winter air mingled with the water drenched in his clothes and another fit of wet coughs scratched his throat. 

A hand was rubbing his back and he couldn't find the energy in him to pull away. His mind is hazy, his head pounding and everything else is either cold or hurting. He fell limp onto the ground, releasing a shuddering breath. There was a voice floating somewhere, the words indecipherable. He slowly opened his eyes, his dripping wet hair obscuring half of his vision. He was at the docks, wooden planks lined under him. 

A hand brushed his black and white bangs aside, startling him as he whipped his head to look up, causing his headache to rise at a blinding level. A groan slipped from his lips. 

The hand disappeared momentarily before returning as the voice grew clearer, more familiar. It sounded like, "Dick?" He internally winced at the sound of his own wispy, scratchy voice. 

"Hood!" Oh, so they are in costume. "How're you feeling?" 

Jason's vision cleared slightly as he saw a moving blob against the night sky, which he assumed is Nightwing. "'ve been bet'r," he mumbled, words slurring together. "Wha' happened?" 

"You tell me," Dick replied, moving out of his line of sight. "I happened to be following a lead here when I heard some crooks talking about chucking Red Hood into the Gotham sea. You are lucky I managed to find you. I called O to tell her what happened and she said that the Batmobile should be here at any moment. You don't remember anything?" 

Jason closed his eyes and furrowed his brows. "Dunno. 'S'all hazy." He vaguely recalls heading down to the harbor for... something as well as struggling with something heavy underwater. Everything else seems too blurry and incoherent. 

"Might be the concussion, hope it isn't the cold," Dick's voice was laced with concern. "We should head to the Cave." 

"No 'm fine," Jason brushed off. He has dealt with worse and made it out alive. He even died before. A concussion and almost drowning should not be too bad. And it is not like he never survived the extreme temperatures before. He tried pushing himself up but a shudder ran through him, crumpling his arms immediately. 

"Yeah. You are the perfect picture of health." Jason opened his eyes to glare at his older brother, only for it to be dwarfed by insistent shivering. "I'm bringing you back anyway." 

He didn't have time to respond before he was lifted up into Nightwing's arms. He hissed as his brain did a backflip and his knee flares up with searing pain at the abrupt movement. 

"Sorry," Nightwing apologised as he quickly walked away from the docks. "But we need to move quickly before you pull off something stupid." 

Jason does _not_ like to be carried. Especially not by Dick. And heading back to his nearest safehouse is _not stupid_. "Put ‘e down, N’wing." 

"Not until we reach the Batmobile." 

Batmobile? He is pretty sure Dick is not Batman today. Why would they be heading for the car? Jason decided to not voice his questions as he struggled weakly. "Still ‘ave my gun with me." At least he thinks so. "Put me down or I _will_ shoot you," he threatened, hoping his shivers and chattering teeth doesn't make him sound any less intimidating. 

He heard Dick's bubbling laughter. "No, you won't, Little Wing. Plus, we are almost there." 

Jason tried pushing himself off, but a spike of pain bursting from his head drained all the energy from him. He closed his eyes to block it out. 

Before jerking awake to see Nightwing looking down at him. He looked around a saw that they are already in the car. Huh. That was fast. "Hey, stay with me. Just until we reach the Cave." 

The elder was putting on the seat belt for him and Jason was too cold and tired to fight it. Shivering, he merely pulled his legs to his chest, ignoring the painful twinge in his knee as he felt himself getting drowsier by the second. His Bat-honed instincts tell him that that is not a good sign. For what, he can't remember. He does know that it is far too cold and wet for his liking. His jacket was gone but there was a comfortable warm and dry blanket around him and he gratefully snuggled into it. It feels so soft... 

He jumped at the sound of the driver door slamming shut as Nightwing steered the car away from... wherever they were. Was it the Gotham Harbor? 

"How're you holding up, Jay?" Dick asked, his eyes on the road ahead. 

"Cold. S'eepy," Jason mumbled, burrowing further into the warm blanket. 

"I'm afraid you're going to have to wait for a bit. We should be home in about... ten minutes? And I'd rather if you don't...." 

The rhythmic rumble of the car lulled his mind as the pounding and ringing in his ears drown out Dick's voice. They are safe in the Batmobile. Dick would be fine without him. He's just going to rest for a minute or two. He feels so drained. 

Just as the world around him started to fade away, something shook his shoulder. Jason opened his eyes and saw Dick glancing at him. "Ten minutes, Jason. I need you to stay awake for _just_ that long and once we get to the Cave and let Alf check up on you, you can rest, okay?" 

Jason frowned as confusion rose in his mind. Why does he need Alfred to check on him? He doesn't feel that bad. Just... aching and shivering. "What?" 

"Potential hypothermia, concussion. Don't sleep," was Dick's sharp reply. 

Oh. No wonder it is so cold. Jason coughed, feeling the air grate painfully against his throat. Now that he thinks about it, he does feel pretty awful. Maybe a visit to the Cave won't be so bad. Not to mention he hasn't met Alfred in a while. 

He already misses his grandfather figure. Last time he saw Alfred was some weeks ago when Jason happened to be swinging by the Manor to find... someone. Was it Tim? It probably was. But that didn’t make sense since Tim lives alone now in his own Nest. When was the last time he saw Tim if it wasn't at the manor? Patrol maybe? Jason's own apartment? That is probably it. His younger brother likes to drop by to help out with his cases. Speaking of which, his apartment needs a new bed. While the current one is still kind of fine, it was a really old and cheap one he bought and it makes the _scariest_ creaking noises in the middle of the night. The Batmobile seat has always made a good sleeping spot. It rumbles softly despite its terrifying speed. Maybe he can find a bed like it. That would be really nice. Sleep would also be really nice. He feels like he hasn't slept in days. Has he? 

"Jason!" 

He woke up with a start, his eyes slowly opening. When did he even close them? 

Dick was talking to him but he couldn't make out the words. Something about the manor and Alfred? Is Dick talking about Alfie or the cat? Damian should have chosen a less confusing name. Like Cat. Or Penny, if he wants to name animals after Alfred. Having two Alfreds in the same place gets confusing. 

His eyes slid shut again. 

Only to be startled by someone pulling him. 

And yelling. 

Lots of yelling. 

Ugh. He hates it when people do that. It gets so loud and grating, making his brain feels like someone is using it as a pincushion. It _hurts_. But the sudden brightness assaulting his vision is worse. 

He lets out a painful moan as his right knee burns with agony. Why is everything suddenly hurting so much? 

He doesn't get to figure it out before his mind plunged into unconsciousness. 


End file.
